You are here

Sietiniezis Rock

The Sietiniezis Rock is one of the highest white sandstone outcrops in Latvia, being 15 meters high and around 0.5 kilometers long. It is situated on the right bank of the Gauja River between Valmiera and Janmuiza about 2 kilometers downstream from Liepas Rock.

There are numerous insect aisles dotting the rock, making it look like a sieve, hence its name (sietins is the Latvian word for ‘a sieve’).

Savor the scenery

One can enjoy a view on the Gauja Valley from the southern part of Sietiniezis, and there are scenic pine forests surrounding the rock. You will find small caves and grottos, as well as gullies and pillar-like formations.

There are trails and picnic areas in the vicinity of Sietiniezis for the purposes of nature protection and for the convenience of visitors.

The Gauja River hits the northern part of Sietiniezis and makes a turn. Looking from the river, the rock rises nearly vertically at the base to form a concave slope towards the top. It is 200 meters long and about 13 meters high, with pale yellow sandstone of the Gauja Formation exposed up to 6 meters from the water level.

Devil’s Cave and Devil’s Heel

The southern part of the sandstone outcrop stretches away from the river. Its base is overgrown with bushes and trees, almost concealing the rock from the sight of anyone looking at it from the river. This section is articulated, at places up to 15 meters high and has joints of various sizes. The biggest natural arch in Latvia used to stand there until it collapsed in summer of 1975. Next to the Sietiniezis Rock is Velnala (the Devil’s Cave), an open-ended cave, and a 15 meters high sandstone pillar. There is also Velna Papedis (the Devils’s Heel) – a salient between the gaps in the rock with a flat surface at the top, which may turn into a sandstone pillar with time.